Love Potion Number Nine - NWZ
by kasiaeliza
Summary: Zorro anticipates Victoria's actions with potions and decides to use them for his own purposes. Ultimately, Diego drinks a potion.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Zorro anticipates Victoria's actions with potions and decides to use them for his own purposes. Ultimately, Diego drinks a potion.

Note: Many thanks to mjf2468 for linguistic help and suggestions. :D

* * *

Victoria was tidying up the shelves in the back room. It was high time because spring and spring cleaning were approaching. At one point, she reached from the top shelf for a box she did not recognize.

"_What is this and where did it come from?_" she thought.

She opened the box and found several bottles with different labels there. "The Ten Potions of Doctor Henry Wayne. Strength. Passion. Love. Everlasting love shall bloom twixt the man and woman who partake this potion within the first sight. Could that be possible?"

She decided to test them, and the strength seemed the most harmless to her. She smiled because she had an idea about how to test them.

xx xxx

Victoria and Mendoza were sitting at the table over the potions box. "Doctor Henry Wayne is nothing but a crackpot", said Mendoza unconvinced. Victoria quickly answered "But what if these potions actually work, Mendoza? After all, people are capable of changing. 'Love, Passion, Fear'. Look. 'Strength'. Perfect for you. "

Mendoza shaking his head. "Señorita Escalante, that is nothing more than coloured water."

Victoria tried to convince the sergeant. "All you can eat for a week...free."

Mendoza's eyes grew round when he imagined so much food. "All I can eat...for a week...free?"

Victoria nodded. "Free." He takes the vial from her and drank. "Salut. See? I told you. Nothing. He's a fraud, Doctor Wayne."

Victoria lifts the case off the table and sets it on her lap. And it's good that she did it because Mendoza pounded his fist on the table and it broke in half. Mendoza and Victoria stared at each other open-mouthed.

"This is incredible", said Mendoza, who stood up and looked at his hand. "I don't believe it. " He went toward the bar, put his hands on two cross beams that stuck out from under the counter and lifted the whole bar off the floor several inches into the air.

Victoria got to her feet, open-mouthed as the other customers murmured excitedly. Mendoza set the bar back down with a thud then turned and looked smugly at Victoria. "All week. Free".

Nobody noticed Diego de la Vega sitting in the corner, who listened intently to the conversation. He did not believe in the potions' effects, but he began to wonder how he could use the whole situation to his own advantage. He had a feeling he knew which potion Victoria would use and for whom. If it succeeded maybe the 4 years of waiting would finally end and no one would be smarter.

xx xxx

Victoria never knew when she would meet the masked bandit the next time, but he always showed up when something happened. And the sergeant's show of strength was definitely worth it. That's why she was preparing her own trap. Snares of Love. "Everlasting love shall bloom 'twist the man and woman who partake this potion within each other's sight." She nodded then took the cork off the vial then took the cork out of the wine bottle. She poured the love potion into the wine bottle.

In the meantime, Zorro has crept into the tavern, but he had not yet revealed his presence. He watched from the secret of his beloved's actions. He smiled and thought, "_Victoria is sometimes so predictable_."

Victoria re-corked the wine bottle "This may be tricky. . . But if it works. . ."

She held the bottle out in front of herself as Zorro walked into the kitchen. "Victoria." The beautiful tavern owner dropped the bottle but Zorro caught it on the top of his boot with a flick of his foot it flew into the air. Zorro smiled as he caught it. "Sorry if I startled you."

"Oh, not at all, Zorro. It's just I almost forgot what you looked like."

Zorro looked a little sheepishly. "Well, I've been rather busy lately."

Victoria continued even more sarcastically. "Of course. There's always someone in danger."

"Fortunately at the moment, that's not true." He approached her and put his hands tenderly on her shoulders.

"You mean you risked coming here just to see me?" The first surprise was over and she decided to flirt a little.

"A risk well worth the reward of your kiss." Zorro leaned down, intending to kiss her but she pushed him away.

"You know, you've never actually told me how you feel about me."

The masked renegade looked a bit affronted "Surely you know how I feel."

Victoria said coyly "Yes, but it's always nicer when I hear it."

Laughter from the main room of the tavern was heard just before de Soto walked through the curtained doorway into the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks when he saw his archenemy. Their meeting ended as usual. De Soto called out the lancers, pulled out his sword, only to meet the black fist and drop unconscious to the floor.

"Our time together is always too brief." Zorro said.

Victoria thought she must try "I was just hoping we could toast our mutual feelings together."

Zorro put his hand on her cheek. "A wonderful idea. Perhaps tonight later. Adios." With ordinary skill, he climbed into the tall kitchen window and disappeared before the lancers could catch up to him.

xx xxx

Victoria bade farewell to the last patrons and prepared a tray with a bottle of wine and two glasses. Zorro promised he would return, so she preferred to be prepared. Zorro watched her preparations closely from the shadows. Everything was going according to plan. All he needed was a witness, preferably Mendoza, the greatest gossip. Or de Soto himself, though it could be dangerous. How to lure a sergeant to a tavern without arousing suspicion?

The dashing hero changed clothes to his usual pants and caballero jacket and went towards the barracks. He had no problem finding Mendoza.

"Hola sergeant, I saw your unusual show of strength today." He knew that a good-natured soldier likes to colour his exploits a bit.

"Hola Don Diego. Dr Wayne's mixture was all I needed for the strength of a bull. Now I will be the best soldier and I will definitely catch Zorro." he relaxed proudly and pulled his jacket down sharply.

"You have to celebrate such an occasion, I invite you for a glass of wine for our hero." and the two of them went to the still open tavern. Victoria was about to close when she saw friends approaching. She sighed in resignation but asked with a smile. "May I help you?"

"Our sergeant deserves a glass of wine. Such a strongman will definitely catch Zorro and get a promotion." Diego replied patting Mendoza on the shoulder.

He saw a tray with a bottle and teased her. "I see you have open wine. Is that aldia? Great for a toast." Victoria chased them away from the bar, scared. "No, this aldia is for a special occasion. Wait here and I will bring something equally good to celebrate." She turned and hurried into the cellar.

She came back with another bottle and poured into two glasses for her friends. Diego and Mendoza erected them. "Salut for the strongest man in Alta California".

The sergeant's smile was more than radiant. "Thank you, Don Diego." And they both drank from their glasses. The young caballero reflected himself and turned to the tavern owner. "And you Victoria will not drink for the future successes of our dear friend?" Before the woman could protest, Diego took the carafe from the tray and poured her a portion of her favourite aldia. She hesitated because she knew that it was not ordinary wine. However, she saw the sergeant's smile begin to disappear, so she decided not to disappoint him with the lack of good wishes. "Finally Zorro will come later, so it's okay if I drink a little now", she thought.

She raised her glass. "Salut for our dear sergeant" and drank.

They joked together for a moment when Diego began to sniff. He turned to the young lady. "Victoria, you are a great cook, but didn't you leave something on the stove? Something smells of burning ..."

"I don't feel anything, but I'll go check it out." As soon as she disappeared behind the curtain, Diego grabbed the decanter from the tray and poured himself another glass, winking knowingly at his friend. "I love aldia too, and this is a special occasion after all." He also poured the previous wine into a glass of Mendoza, who didn't mind.

"Nothing burns, I don't know what's up with Diego's sense of smell," Victoria said coming back to the room. She found them halfway to the next toast.

"_It must be your best performance in life. Now or never._" the young caballero thought.

"I don't know for what special occasion you kept this bottle, but it's the best aldia I've had in a long time," Diego said nonchalantly. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist not trying at least a little bit." All the blood drained from Victoria's face. She turned to Mendoza. "Did you also try some of that wine, Sergeant?"

Escalante's explosive temperament was known in the area and no one wanted to be at its end. The soldier swallowed loudly and denied it. "Not a drop. And Don Diego didn't drink much either ..."

Such a poor excuse angered her seriously. "To this wine, I added Dr Wayne's love potion, 'everlasting love shall bloom' twixt the man and woman who partake this potion within each other's sight '. It was supposed to be for Zorro, not for Diego."

"_Now is the time for me to show_," thought the young Don.

Diego threw off the mask he had worn for a long time and let hidden feelings come out. He took her hand, placed a tender kiss all the time looking straight into her eyes. "You need a man of flesh and blood who'll never leave your side. Not any elusive bandit. You should have a loving husband and children."

Surprised Victoria saw in the eyes of a calm and passive friend, love and passion she would never have suspected. She couldn't look away from him. "Well, that's true."

Mendoza stared at them in shock.

Diego turned her hand over and kissed the inside of her palm in a very intimate gesture. Still hypnotizing he declared, "You need a man. Like me." The charming young lady felt a whole wave of emotions. When she looked at those vivid blue eyes her heart was beating in a crazy rhythm, the temperature in the room rose and she felt an overwhelming hum. "You mean, like you?"

They both looked at each other intently and forgot about the whole world.

"Victoria ..."

"Diego ..."

Their lips met in a tender kiss that lasted until Mendoza, surprised and ashamed, stepped back and trip over the stool. Trying to catch his balance, he hooked on the tray and broke the carafe.

"Madre de Dios"

* * *

Author note:

In all stories, Victoria breaks up with Zorro, waits for some time and Diego begins a courtship. It all takes time. I thought that potions might speed things up a bit :)

All comments are appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

Author note:

In this story, Victoria was once in Zorro cave but engagement never happened.

* * *

That same evening, Diego and Felipe sat together in the cave. The caballero told his young helper about the events of the last hours that he had not witnessed. The boy listened, and his face was painted with different emotions - fear, admiration, disbelief and finally a knowing grin. Especially when Diego reached the point where the beautiful tavern owner finally had noticed him, Diego.

Felipe couldn't wait, and Diego slightly confused broke off in the middle of the sentence. The boy started to sign."Did you kiss her? You had to have kissed her! Come on, you can tell me!"

Diego looked at Felipe, happiness shining in his eyes, and sighed. "I did. But don't expect any details! Besides, Mendoza was there."

Felipe grinned widely but also began to have doubts. He was afraid for the life of the man who was like a father to him.

"Do you know what was in that bottle? Is it safe? And what if the Alcalde suspects something? Or what if Victoria has second thoughts?"

Diego raised his hand and held back some nervous signs. He knew his plan wasn't perfect, but he felt it had a high probability of success. Any suspicions will also be easily dismissed.

"Relax, Felipe, I know you're worried, but it's a pretty safe plan. The bottles had coloured water with the addition of alcohol, nothing more. After all, Dr Wayne did not want to poison people but thin their purses. The strength of the potions lies in the power of suggestion."

The young boy signed a question.

"Victoria wanted to entrap Zorro so much that for some time she would be firmly convinced that she is madly in love with me. The more she believes in the potion, the more convincing she will be."

Felipe smiled but showed another sign - what about the Alcalde?

"The success of this plan depends on it being de Soto who pushes us into marriage. And here your role begins. I can't do everything alone"

For several hours the two conspirators arranged the details for the next few days. Some ideas were rejected for being too absurd or crazy while others were included in the list of tasks. Felipe increasingly understood the idea of the older man and looked for gaps in Diego's reasoning. At last, he saw the potential for happiness for a man whom he respected and loved the most in the world.

xx xxx

Diego knew that the first morning would be crucial. In the morning everything can look different, a person after a good night's sleep can look at certain things from a different perspective. That is why he arrived at the pueblo soon after dawn and quietly slipped into the tavern. If Victoria had doubts he would have to dispel them without witnesses.

He sat at the door of her room and waited for sounds indicating that she had already woken up. When he heard the rustle of bedding and a quiet yawn, he stood up and gently knocked on the door.

Victoria froze. Who could be knocking on her door an hour after dawn? She was not fully awake, she was lying somewhere between reality and sleep. That is why she said "Come in" not thinking much.

The first thing she saw was when the door opened a large basket of red roses. A sweet smell immediately filled the entire room. Behind the flowers her best friend leaned out cautiously, dreamy eyes full of love and tenderness.

"My Venus, I wanted to greet you this blessed morning and ask you humbly to do me the honour of accepting these roses as a symbol of my love and devotion."

Victoria was surprised, but quickly remembered yesterday's events. How those beautiful blue eyes looked straight into her soul, how her heart was beating like a galloping horse, how those full and soft lips tasted of wine and passion. A wave of emotions, similar to yesterday's, flooded her, and her breathing accelerated.

Diego watched her closely, her response would dictate what his next actions would be. In his mind, he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the object of his dreams was still under the spell. He put the basket at the foot of the bed and sat on the bedding near Victoria. He took her hand in his and kissed the back of it.

"My love, say something. I spent the whole night longing for your presence, for your beauty, for your lips. I don't know if I can stand another hour away from you."

The usual talkative tavern owner was at a loss for words. She raised her other hand and gently caressed his cheek. Her head tried to protest, "_This is just your boring friend Diego, you love another,_" but the heart knew better. "_Diego has always been your rock, you love him, you always did_."

The intense gaze between them spoke more than a thousand words. Finally, she got the answer. "Querido, I also can't think I could be away from you for another hour."

The sounds of the morning bustle of Pilar brought them somewhat to reality. Diego kissed her hand again and promised to wait downstairs while she was getting ready for the day.

xx xxx

"Mendoza!"

A few minutes later, the sergeant burst into the Alcalde's office and stood at attention. "Si mi alcalde".

De Soto sat comfortably in his chair and looked through the documents. He didn't even look at his subordinate but demanded a report.

Mendoza started accounting all the news from yesterday afternoon. "We did not catch Zorro. Corporal Sepulveda sprained his ankle cleaning the horses. He will not be able to serve for a week or two. I made a quartermaster demand for the next month. Don Diego and Senorita Victoria fell in love. The Gomez brothers paid the overdue tax. And Don Rafael has a grandson, which is why Dr. Hernandez could not help Sepulveda earlier because he was receiving ... "

Alcalde listened with one ear, but the meaning of the words suddenly hit him and the report interrupted. "What?!"

The sergeant was used to such explosions, so he began to explain once again how to a small child. "Dr Hernandez could not come ..."

However, de Soto interrupted him again. "Idiot, I'm not asking for Dr Hernandez! What did you say about Diego and the tavern wench?"

Mendoza did not like it when his favourite cook was called that name, but he knew that the protest was pointless. He took a deep breath and started again.

"I said that Don Diego and Victoria drank the potion of everlasting love together, so they now are madly in love with each other. Already the entire pueblo knows it, and I must admit that young de la Vega is quite inspirational in his courtship."

De Soto could not understand how the boring and dispassionate caballero can be inspirational in anything, especially in romance. What's more, Zorro's lady forgetting so easily her bandit and falling in love with another? How was this possible? He needed to know more.

"Zorro didn't show up?" The sergeant denied. "The news will surely reach him soon. He will feel betrayed, frustrated and hungry for revenge. Maybe he will even kill or hurt Don Diego. Fantastic!"

Mendoza did not share his superior's delight. He considered Zorro his friend, as well as both Don Diego and Senorita Escalante. He did not want any of them hurt.

"Madre de Dios, Alcalde, why is it fantastic? It could end in a tragedy."

De Soto looked at him pityingly. "Zorro will want to confront them. It will definitely be a lively conversation. When he is distracted and drop his defences, we'll catch him. All we have to do is keep out of sight. Where are they now?"

"In the tavern, since early this morning, but I heard that they are going for a picnic tomorrow," replied Mendoza.

The alcalde was clearly pleased. "Keep an eye on them, I will come later. This time we will catch Zorro."

xx xxx

De Soto sat in the corner of the tavern with Mendoza all day and watched in disgust the young couple. At first, it was even funny, but the courtship of young de la Vega and Senorita Escalante was so romantic and sweet it made him sick.

The young Don sat opposite his muse, held her hand all the time, complimented her, and quoted Shakespeare's poems. They talked, laughed and did not see the world around them. Pilar took pity on them at dinner and set two portions at the table without ordering. The young couple did not eat, however, as usual. No, they fed each other instead!

Such behaviour wasn't easy on the nerves of a bitter soldier.

". .and then he called her his little grapefruit. And she called him her peach. Between them, they have the makings of a nice fruit salad. It's really quite nauseating." De Soto had enough. Even the temptation to catch Zorro was not worth such torture.

"They look so good together as if they have always belonged to each other. And how romantic Don Diego is. When I meet some beautiful senorita, I will definitely ask him for help in courting her." Sergeant Mendoza saw only the positive aspects of the whole situation.

De Soto gave up. He surrounded the tavern discreetly with soldiers and went to his quarters.

xx xxx

The next day, the lovers went horseback riding and a picnic. De Soto and Mendoza followed them at some distance. Diego knew that they were being watched, just like the day before.

"_Good, I have you exactly where I want you, Alcalde. We'll see how much romance you can handle_." He thought humorously.

They spread a blanket under a large tree, where the hot California sun was not shining. Half-sitting, half-lying, they enjoyed the beautiful weather and each other.

At siesta, Diego finally heard the approaching Alcalde. He decided to raise the temperature a little and began to kiss her neck gently. "Victoria ..." His voice took on a slightly husky tone.

He smiled when de Soto started coughing. The couple turned to look up at him.

"Diego, Victoria. I was just riding by. I saw your horses." Alcalde began to explain himself.

Victoria was a bit irritated. A moment before, the caballero found her very vulnerable point and the disliked leader was the last person she wanted to see at that moment.

"Yes, Alcalde. We came out here for a picnic. A very private picnic." she snorted.

De Soto acted naively. "Yes, it is very secluded out here." He picked up a bottle of wine and ask. "May I?" He poured himself a glass and tried it without waiting for an answer.

Victoria was on the brink of an explosion, but she felt Diego stroking her arm soothingly. They stared at each other until her anger vanished.

Alcalde noticed a map of California lying on a blanket. "What's this? A map?"

The young don took it from him. "Yes, it is. We were wondering where we will go on our honeymoon. Maybe Santa Barbara, right, my darling?"

The soldier was stunned. Two days ago they hardly viewed each other like a woman and a man, and now they are planning a wedding trip! In fact, an expensive and beautifully made diamond and emeralds ring now shone on the señorita's finger.

"Marriage? Um. ... What do you think Zorro is going to say about all this?"

Diego knew this was another important moment. Fortunately, Victoria shrugged and popped a piece of food into her mouth and said nothing.

Trying to be laid back and nonchalant he chuckled. "Zorro? What can he say? Victoria and I are in.." He kissed Victoria on the cheek. "... love. Even Zorro is no match for love. Isn't that right, pomelita?".

Diego relaxed when he heard her agreement to his statement and began to kiss her again.

Completely ignored the alcalde mounted his horse and rode away from the vantage point. When he had joined Mendoza, the alcalde made him watch the couple but he didn't want to look or hear himself. He was sitting with his back to the pair, out of earshot. "Marriage! Disgusting!" he thought to himself.

xx xxx

The sergeant felt a little uncomfortable watching his two friends in a very private situation. They did nothing that was inappropriate for the engaged couple, and Mendoza wished them all the best. However, he still felt a bit embarrassed.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed that Diego gave a beautiful senorita a quick kiss on her nose and approached his horse. Thinking they were going to leave, Mendoza instead watched Diego remove from his saddlebag some material, slats and a long box.

Mendoza began to wonder what the young caballero was going to do. He looked at de Soto, who napping next to him, but decided not to wake him unnecessarily.

During this time Diego unfolded a frame from the slats and pulled the material on it. He grinned at his lover and began painting her portrait. "I should have suggested you pose for me earlier."

He was rewarded with the broad smile of his muse. "Why would that be?" She asked teasingly.

Don Diego admitted. "I was shy about my feelings toward you. And if I had more courage and asked to paint you, I could look at you with impunity for hours on end and delay finishing the picture." Without interrupting his work, he looked tenderly at her from head to foot. "And I could imagine that every brushstroke was a forbidden caress."

Victoria blushed seeing his wandering look and the hidden meaning of his words.

Diego did not want to admit, but he had a pretty impressive collection of depictions of his sweetheart on his desk. So he had no problem to quickly paint a portrait and then just improved it. However, he enjoyed every moment and their banter. Especially when he tested her patience to the limit.

In the meantime, the siesta time was over and California's heat eased off. De Soto woke up from his nap. "Mendoza, did Zorro show up?"

The sergeant denied the question. "If he had shown up, I would've woken you up immediately, mi Alcalde."

Ignacio was not comforted. He looked towards the couple in love. "What are they doing?"

The soldier beamed dreamily. "It seems that Don Diego is just finishing painting a portrait of Senorita Escalante. I would like to be able to paint like him, I would win every lady's heart. This is so romantic."

His superior did not share his enthusiasm. "Idiot, what is romantic about a woman standing in the same position for several hours?"

Mendoza knew de Soto too long to argue with him. However, from what he saw, Victoria enjoyed this experience as much as her fiance. And she definitely didn't look bored, perhaps only a bit impatient. The young don didn't also require her to stand in one position all the time. She comfortably laid or sat on a blanket.

His suspicions were confirmed when Diego showed her the end result. The innkeeper threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately.

xx xxx

The Alcalde's irritation reached its zenith that evening. Not only was the sweetness of the courtship giving him indigestion, but there was also no sign of Zorro anywhere. De Soto walked around the office and planned his next steps.

"_Zorro usually knows all about the events occurring in the pueblo, sometimes even before we do. As if he were reading minds or had good informants. And here's the second day and still silence from that bastard. I thought it would be a perfect trap, but I don't know if I can stand the suspense any longer. How good it is that Don Alejandro is coming back tomorrow. Maybe he will cut off his romantic son a bit_. "


	3. Chapter 3

Author note:

Dooms day - she forgave him or not? :)

I hope You remember about everyone loves feedback, right?

* * *

The next evening found the two conspirators once again in the secret cave under the hacienda. Diego and Felipe both knew that the potion spell could end at any moment, although Diego had the quiet hope that his courtship would become a reality.

Felipe, as befits a good future lawyer, was looking for inaccuracies in the plan. He showed two fingers, first one pointed to his mouth and added a sign to indicate Victoria.

"Yes, for it to succeed we must tell my lovely bride tomorrow about the secret. And in such a way that she would forgive me." Diego was more than nervous. He could fight a whole garrison of soldiers, duel with any swordmaster, or capture a pirate crew, but he feared the reaction of one small inn owner.

The boy touched the caballero's arm lightly and continued to point. "She loves you, she will forgive you." He smiled mischievously. "But knowing Senorita Escalante's temper you better tell her in some secluded place."

Diego sighed. "I thought to bring her here. Ultimately, the cave is soundproof." A small grin crossed his face. "We just have to clear away all the breakable glass and sharp tools within reach. The last customer who caused her trouble in the tavern ended up with two broken plates on his head."

They both laughed heartily at the memory of the situation. Not only did the troublemaker have a serious headache for several days, but he also had to pay for the plates.

The lad became serious and showed two fingers again and pointed to his father figure and Zorro's clothes hanger. Diego rose from the chair he was occupying, walked over to the hanger, picked up a leather glove, and turned to his adopted son. "Jealous Zorro is the easiest part of this whole masquerade."

This time, his pupil's face was filled with fear and uncertainty.

xx xxx

Victoria woke up earlier than usual. Grey dawn filtered shyly through the curtains. Despite the early hour, the young woman felt rested and relaxed. Surrounded by a cocoon of warm bedding, she let her thoughts wander. Subconsciously, they concerned a handsome bachelor and the moments spent together for the last two days.

Half-dreaming Victoria did not analyze words or deeds, she relished her feelings. His wide chest and surprisingly muscular shoulders made her feel safe. The low timbre of his voice whispering poems about love and devotion made her knees weak. But it was his gaze that mesmerized her as if he could look directly into her heart.

His gentle caresses and kisses, his tender words, made her feel loved and pampered. Since she was 15, she always had to rely solely on herself to face the hardships of running a tavern. Now she had the support and his arms willing to embrace. She felt at home, felt that she had someone to share her life with.

Her consciousness slowly came to the forefront. Victoria looked at her new painting hanging on the wall near the door and then at her hand, where a beautiful ring shone. "_Stupid, you always had the support of Diego and his father. And you always felt safe and at ease with him. Did you have to drink love potion to realize you love him?_"

A small voice on the back of the head, however, did not give up. "_What about Zorro? You love him, you desire him and he loves you. Diego is the shadow of a man compared to Zorro._"

The owner of the tavern, fully awake, finally began to think not only about her feelings but also about recent events. "_What does Zorro have that Diego doesn't? Courage? Well, as Guardian editor Diego often places himself into the alcade's rage. He went defenseless several times into the fight in order to calm the opponents. These are not cowardly deeds_."

"_Passion? Maybe Diego is a weak-willed caballero on a daily basis, but his kisses and hot eyes betrayed that there is definitely more hidden beneath the surface_." A beautiful blush blossomed on the cheeks of the señorita. She felt the very evident proof of his passion yesterday as they said goodbye as he held her tightly in his arms and kissed her breathlessly.

A quiet knock interrupted her thoughts. She got out of bed with a beating heart and threw her robe over her nightgown. She hoped that the object of her thoughts was on the other side of the door. She lifted them and saw her fiance casually leaning against the door frame.

"Buenos dias, my princess." He said, handing her the rose that had been hidden behind him.

"Buenos dias, Diego." Victoria took the flower, sniffed it and kept her eyes on the caballero. She started teasing him lightly. "If you bring me roses at such a pace, you will soon strip the entire garden. What would your mother say?"

He took her free hand and kissed her. "Well, she'd probably order more shrubs." How he loved her laugh at such a lame joke.

He added more seriously. "Mia novia, I'm kidnapping you today. Dress up, I'll wait downstairs."

His fiance tried to protest a little. "But Diego, I was out of town all day yesterday, the tavern won't run by itself ..." She paused in half sentences when their lips met.

After a while, they had to pause to catch their breath. "Don't worry. I already talked to Pilar and Alice, they more than willingly agreed to replace you. Before the siesta, Felipe will come, help with cleaning." He pointed to the door to her room. "In five minutes I will come and kidnap you, regardless of the outfit you wear." He winked and headed for the main hall.

Startled, Victoria whispered "How bold of you!" She remembered her earlier thoughts. Definitely Diego is lacking nothing compared to Zorro.

xx xxx

Victoria sat on the back of her mare and wondered where they would go this time. At first, Diego led them confidently and nonstop at first but then he began to mumble among the hills and canyons.

"Senior Kidnapper, it looks like we're lost. Not that I'm complaining about the company, but do you know where we are?" Diego was known for his lack of orientation in space and she decided to tease him a bit.

In response, the caballero turned and rode closer to her. "I know perfectly well where we are and where we are going." He took a piece of cloth from behind his sash and gave it to her. "I want to take you to a very special place, but it is a surprise. Do you trust me?", he asked seriously.

Victoria took the material without hesitation and answered with a smile. "I love you and trust you, Querido." She blindfolded herself and grasped the saddle-bow firmly.

Diego took her reins and waved his hand to make sure. "No peeping!"

They started riding, and Diego said a silent prayer that her trust in him would not be destroyed at the end of this journey. It was too late now to withdraw. So he could only hope that she would not cut himself off completely, even if she rejected him as a suitor.

Victoria did not say a word, but she also didn't stop trying to guess where they would have another picnic. He gave her hints, but in such a manner that she didn't really have a chance to guess.

xx xxx

Felipe was waiting for them at the entrance to the cave. Seeing his friend's uncertain expression, the boy smiled and raised both thumbs up, trying to cheer him up. Diego nodded in thanks.

"We're almost there, but don't take the blindfold off yet." Diego dismounted and helped Victoria down. At that time Felipe took the reins of both horses and escorted them to a nearby valley. As he walked away, he showed his thumb up again.

Victoria heard the hooves click away and asked, "Diego, where are you?" She felt a slight shiver as her fiance kissed her exposed neck.

"Right behind you, honey." Felipe's optimistic attitude encouraged him. Diego put her arm in his and led her towards the entrance to the cave. "Felipe led the horses and tied them nearby, and then he would be able to go help in the tavern."

Victoria felt them going into some sort of structure. The sun was not shining anymore, she felt cold in the air. She was still trying to figure out where the surprise was and what it was. She couldn't rely on her eyes so she focused on her other senses. There was a strong smell of hay and horse sweat in the air. "An abandoned barn? Why here?"

Next to her, she heard Diego suck in a breath and let it out loudly. She sensed his nervousness as he took both her hands in his.

"Victoria, before I remove your blindfold, please remember that I love you more than my life. I have always loved you and always will, regardless of your decision today." He bent down and brushed his lips against hers.

Surprised by the confession, the young woman gently moved away. "Querido, I have already accepted your proposal. And now you are more nervous than then. What's wrong?"

This time the caballero kissed her with all passion as if it was their last kiss in their life. He held her tight, mesmerizing her curves with his fingers. Her hands were not idle either.

When they could not catch their breath and moved apart, Diego untied her blindfold with a beating heart.

The senorita blinked several times as her eyes got used to the twilight of the cave. She turned around and immediately recognized the Fox's lair - black clothes hanging off a coat rack, a Toledan sword, a collection of whips and a faithful Tornado.

She was surprised enough that she did not associate the obvious facts.

"Querida ..." she heard behind her the deep, begging tone of Zorro. She turned to face her fiance and looked deep into his crystal blue eyes. During their courtship, Diego never used this endearment. Now she knew why. Because she would've known immediately that Diego de la Vega was the wanted bandit so dear to her heart.

The always confident, bold, slightly arrogant hero now stood terrified and uncertain before her. After a few moments of tense silence, he broke eye contact and hung his head, resigned. His world was in ruins, and her lack of any response only made things worse.

"If you want to yell at me, please do it here. The cave is soundproof, nobody can overhear us. Unless you want me to hang on the gallows, you then could go straight to alcade. Just don't mess with Felipe, please, he is just a boy." Diego looked at her, a plea apparent in his eyes. " I am begging you, Victoria, say something, anything."

Confession and the voice of a broken man pulled Victoria from lethargy. She remembered their previous conversation in this hideout. "_The man behind this mask is afraid of only one thing in this world. That you love a hero with whom he cannot possibly compete. That if this mask were removed, you would still be in love with Zorro and not with the man of flesh and blood._ "

Now she understood why the previous kiss was so hectic and knew only one way to show him that his fears were unfounded. She grabbed him firmly by the front of the shirt and pulled him down. Their lips met, but the caballero didn't respond. When her tongue began to try to part his lips, Diego broke contact.

There was a glimmer of hope in his eyes, but he was still uncertain. "Querida, I lied to you for years, I asked you to wait for you don't know how long, I refused you a family and children, I let the alcalde use you as bait ..." A beautiful senorita interrupted his litany by putting a finger to his lips.

"It means nothing. My best friend and the man I love are the same person. I'm the happiest woman in the world." She hoped he would believe her. Her chocolate eyes told him everything that was happening in her heart.

Before he could believe it, he had to be sure. "Do you still love me? Are you not angry?"

A wide smile was the answer. "I love you, I trust you and I am not angry." A teasing glint appeared in her eyes. "Not too much anyway. But don't expect me to let this deception go away so easily. You will pay for this, Senor Zorro." This time the handsome caballero was an eager participant in next kiss.

xx xxx

When the raw emotions subsided, the bandit without a mask and the beautiful tavern owner sat down at the table, sharing stories and a meal which Felipe had brought down to the cave for them earlier. They explained all misunderstandings and apologized for the unpleasant words. Finally, Diego sat on the cot leaning against the wall, and Victoria sat down in front of him, cuddled to his wide chest. The caballero caressed her shoulder tenderly.

"Querida, I have to apologize for one more thing. This love potion ... I knew you were planning to use it on Zorro and I saw it as a chance for us to be together."

Victoria looked up to meet his eyes. "You specifically invited Mendoza to be a witness. And especially let me come closer to drink this wine. And there was no burning at all. You, you ..." the famous temper of Escalante's family finally made itself felt. But instead of bursting with anger, she burst out laughing. "You fox!"

"The secret to Dr Wayne's potions' success is the power of suggestion. And since you don't want to tear me apart, we need to think about what we'll do next." The caballero became serious.

"Such a cunning fox definitely has a plan" The lovely woman is his arms still was in a playful mood.

"Well, I have, but it needs your help and might ruin a bit your reputation. And mine also, for that matter. But thanks to that, we can be married tomorrow evening without the Alcalde suspecting anything."

Victoria placed a kiss on his throat and caused him to moan with want. She answered seductively. "Only tomorrow evening? So long? Of course, I agree with everything."

Diego smiled because he knew he was lost. And waiting the next day will be torture. "Listen, we will do that ..."

xx xxx

Don Alejandro was coming back after a few days' absence. He had a lot of time to think while riding. He was worried about his family. Felipe dreamed of becoming a lawyer, but how could he achieve this without being able to speak or hear? It is good though that he did quite well with the hacienda's accounting books and other work around the ranch.

"_Yes, Felipe can handle life. But what about Diego? He wastes his life on useless experiments, music, poetry. He is one of the most desirable bachelors in the region, and influential dons are constantly trying to introduce his daughters to him. This stupid son of mine, he can't even get married and give me grandchildren!_"

With such hilarious thoughts, the old ranchero entered the pueblo. To his surprise, Ignacio de Soto approached him with a most unusual request. "Don Alejandro, I am begging you, please straighten out your son. I can't stand all his sweetness and romance."

De la Vega dismounted and asked, "Diego? Romance?" It was so crazy and unexpected.

"Si, very intense romance. Just marry them off in a hurry and let them get out of my way."

Alejandro, still not understanding the whole situation, was asking the alcalde. "Is Diego courting someone?"

De Soto began to lose patience that was already heavily strained. "Yes, he even has managed to get engaged and plan his honeymoon."

The old don still couldn't comprehend the new pieces of information. "Diego is engaged? Are we still talking about my son? To whom?"

Alcalde rolled his eyes. "To the tavern bitch, of course. They drank a love potion together and haven't been apart from each other since then." He pointed a finger at him. "If you don't marry them in the near future, I swear I will hang your son for… for corrupting my innocence."

Alejandro finally understood the seriousness of the situation but snorted. "You sound like you are still a virgin. You and innocence, ha. Where is he?"

"In the tavern and elsewhere." They both went to the inn. It was siesta time, so there should be no guests inside.

xx xxx

And in fact, there were no guests. At the bar, however, a well-known couple stood in a passionate embrace, kissing hungrily. Diego stood with his back to the entrance and slightly off to the right side. They were so busy with each other that they didn't notice anyone entering.

Don Alejandro and de Soto were stunned and stopped next to the door.

The intensity of the kiss went well beyond the proper way for a gentleman to treat a woman. Such behaviour would only be allowed in a matrimonial bedroom. But what shocked the observers the most was the young caballero's hand, which first slid slowly down Victoria's hip and thigh, and then began to climb up with the skirt, revealing a semi-bare leg.

Don Alejandro watched with round eyes and open mouth as the woman he considered as a daughter lifted her bare leg to his son's hip and responded with even more enthusiasm to his caresses. And the same normally passive son held her thigh in a very firm grip.

The blood in the veins of the old de la Vega boiled. He never expected such behaviour from his well-breed offspring that he would put any woman, especially Victoria, in such a compromising situation.

"This is enough! I didn't raise you like that! You'll marry her today! And no discussion!" He was furious and yelled so loudly they probably heard him at the church.

The young couple jumped in surprise at the shouting and the presence of other people. Diego released Victoria's leg, which she immediately set aside on the floor and adjusted her dress. However, they never broke their embrace.

The young caballero turned to face his father. At this point, the Alcalde and Don Alejandro saw that the left side of Diego's face was covered in bruises and his left eye was swollen. Victoria tenderly stroked the purple spots.

"Buenos dias, father. It's good that you came back. We didn't want to plan the wedding without you." He pretended not to notice his parent's rage.

Meanwhile, the son's appearance somewhat cooled the de la Vega's anger. "What happened?" He asked, pointing to his face.

Diego answered modestly. "When I was riding here, I met Zorro. He was not happy with the engagement and challenged me to a duel. I'm not a sabre master, so we agreed to a fistfight. I will do anything for my angel." He looked at his lovely fiance.

Victoria took the story with anger. "How could he! You are not a warrior and I made a choice and he can't do anything about it."

She looked lovingly at him and adjusted a lock of hair that fell on his forehead. Then turned to her future-to-be father-in-law. "Poor Diego, he was barely sitting in the saddle when he arrived. Fortunately, I had a box of herbal ointment and ..."

The Alcalde finally shook himself and interrupted her sarcastically in mid-sentence. "... and we saw exactly how tenderly you look after your patient." Then he turned to the elder de la Vega. "Wedding or gallows. Remember." Then he left, walking towards the garrison.

Don Alejandro stood arms folded and looked knowingly at the young couple, who could tell he was still upset with them. "I'm going to Padre Benitez right now to arrange the wedding details. Tonight's the wedding. Behave yourselves till then." After which he also left.

What he could no longer hear was a double sigh of relief. Victoria asked, "Did they really believe us?"

Diego hugged her. "You're a great actress, why wouldn't they believe?"

Senorita accepted the compliment, but she was thinking about another participant in the entire masquerade. "How Felipe take it all? He admires you and loves you like a father. I think it was definitely difficult for him to do his job."

Diego shrugged. "I gave him Zorro's gloves so that he wouldn't hurt his knuckles. But it took us definitely too much time. Especially since at the beginning, he beat far too weak. Then I started teasing him about a nice, blond-haired girl who is his weak spot lately, and well ... Let's just say he discovered a new talent in himself. "

They kissed, much calmer and more tenderly this time when they hadn't the audience.


	4. Chapter 4

Everyone in the pueblo expected such an ending, although some were still surprised by the rapid pace of events. The well-liked Don Diego, who often helped others regardless of their birth, and the beautiful hot-headed lady fit together much better than Victoria and Zorro. Definitely the elusive bandit could not provide Senorita Escalante with a family and children.

Even with such a quick wedding, a large crowd of well-wishers gathered in the church and in the square in front of it. Everyone else cheered and congratulated the young couple as they left the church. Diego suddenly took his bride in his arms and spun her around, which caused an even greater wave of enthusiasm and wolf-whistles from the crowd.

When he set her down carefully, he did not fail to steal a juicy kiss from his bride. At that moment de Soto approached them. He had surrounded the square with soldiers in the faint hope that Zorro would appear eventually at the last moment and interrupt the ceremony. However, his hopes proved futile.

"Well, well, you are finally done with your courtship. Congratulations and I wish you a long honeymoon far, far away from the pueblo. Very, very far away."

Despite the whole range of emotions that the groom just felt, all positive and even euphoric, the young de la Vega knew that he had to handle the situation wisely. Otherwise, the moments of happiness with his beloved woman will be very short. And the easiest way was to make a mistake just before the finish.

That's why Diego reached out for the Alcalde and thanked him with sincerity and joy as if hearing no sarcasm. "Thank you very much, Ignacio. We're going to Santa Barbara for the honeymoon. And who knows? Maybe soon you will have a new citizen in Los Angeles?"

De Soto snorted and Victoria patted her husband's shoulder and blushed beautifully.

xx xxx

Tables with food were set up on the porch and in front of the tavern, and the pueblo centre was cleaned, creating a place to dance. Everyone had a great time, especially since de Soto, angry with his defeat, pronounced himself tired and left quite early. The dance floor was crowded and the bride and groom hardly ever left it. Despite them both having many partners, they always found their way back to one another every few songs.

The only person who didn't add humour was Don Alejandro. Of course, he was delighted that Diego was finally married, that his chosen one was Victoria, whom he had long treated as a daughter and a family member.

But all this rush to get married and the foolishness of the love potion's affair made him uncomfortable. He had mixed feelings about this artificial love. He stood aside sipping wine, lost in thought, and watched the young couple. He was worried that it wasn't real, that Diego and Victoria would soon regret their marriage.

That was how Padre Benitez found him, sitting quietly. The monk was known for being a good judge of character.

From the beginning of his stay in Los Angeles, the Padre suspected that behind the calm and indolent facade of the young caballero was hiding the cunning fox, the saviour of the pueblo. And for a long time, he saw the young man's secret looks and mutual feelings of two people, though unaware of the senorita or other citizens. With all his heart, Padre Benitez wished Diego and Victoria a marriage filled with happiness and security, but he had not known how to connect them.

The good padre also knew the thoughts which were racing around old de la Vega's grey head. He decided the older man needed some Godly counsel. "Don Alejandro, are you not enjoying the happiness of your only child? I thought you have long wanted to see him at the wedding carpet."

Don smiled politely, though there was no cheerfulness in his eyes. "Yes, I've wanted exactly that for a long time, but with the current circumstances, I don't know if it was a good idea. I caught Diego in a compromising situation and told him to marry immediately, but ... What if this love potion stops working and they see things clearly? Until now Diego and Victoria had a friendship, a strong friendship. What if this artificial love destroys their connection, and they start to hate each other or become indifferent? I wanted Diego to marry for love. "

Padre Benitez put his arm around his friend. "Alejandro, you've said it yourself that there is a strong, long-term friendship between them. But I can assure you that both your son and Victoria have felt much more than friendship for the other for years. That potion only brought out hidden feelings to the surface. No artificial love. Think about it. You'll see I'm right"

The monk patted him on the shoulder and left. "_Maybe he is right?_" The old don suddenly felt immense relief, and the uncertainty that had disturbed him for half a day was gone. He said a quiet prayer to his wife and joined the crowd of dancers. "_After all, it's my son's wedding!_"

xx xxx

In a cozy inn at the outskirts of Santa Barbara, the newlyweds enjoyed spending time together. During the day they went for long walks on the beach, and at night ... well, they did what every young couple does during their honeymoon.

A few days after the wedding, Victoria lay on her husband's wide chest and drew small circles on his skin with her finger. They were resting after their lovemaking.

Diego started the conversation. "Querida, I promise that I will limit riding as Zorro, I will only intervene if Mendoza absolutely fails. But there will still be situations when Zorro is needed."

"Diego, I know that. I only ask you to please be more careful. Now you have someone to get back for from your nightly escapades."

"Any regrets?" he asked.

Victoria rose to meet his eyes. "Only that it took us so long. But the love potion and my plan worked."

The caballero was surprised. "Honey, I explained to you that it was just the power of suggestion that the potion worked. It's just coloured water. Besides, I drank it, not Zorro."

Then he noticed the barely suppressed smile and mischievous flashes in her eyes. "My plan worked. I got married to Zorro. And now that you've rested, let's talk about your punishment for the many years of deception. How you can repay me now."

When their lips joined, Diego knew that this was the best punishment in the world and he was going to pay it very willingly every day for the rest of his life.

* * *

The end

* * *

Author notes:

This is it. I hope you like it :D

Thanks once again to mjf2468 for correcting all my mistakes and for few sentences herself. It is much more readable after correcting :D

And thanks for every single feedback and review, it is really inspiring to work for other stories.


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